The Newmarket Centre for Lymphatic Care (NCLC)
Now Available at East Gwillimbury Physiotherapy Newmarket and Holland Landing location.
Integrated Lymphatic Drainage is used to enhance the cleansing and draining of the tissues. This in turn decreases tightness and heaviness, increases function, enhances immune system response, prevents infection and promotes healing.
Lymphatic Drainage is a gentle, rhythmic, hands-on technique.
We are Registered Physiotherapists additionally certified as Combined Decongestive Therapists and ADP authorisers for compression garments as needed for proper management of lymphedemas including post mastectomy care for secondary lymphedema as well as other cancer related lymphedema.
Who can benefit from Lymphatic Drainage?
- Post mastectomy
- Post lymph node removal
- Recurring or repetitive infection and/or impaired healing of tissue
- Sports Injuries
- Traumatic Injuries
- Repetitive strain injury
- Headache
- Whiplash
- Varicose Veins
- Chronic ear infections – kids or adults
- Chronic Bronchitis
- Sinusitis
- Ulcers
- Varicose Veins
- Pre & Post operative swelling
- Scar healing
- Burns
- Raynaud’s Syndrome
- Rheumatic diseases
- Fibrocystic Breast Disease
- Fibromyalgia
- Repetitive ear infection
- Repetitive lung infection
- Primary and secondary lymphedema
Other benefits of lymphatic drainage:
- Detoxifies the system
- Decreases pain
- Decreases swelling congestion and increases range of motion
- Fascial release
- Increases nutrient input to tissues
- Relaxation response
Why Choose East Gwillimbury Physiotherapy?
We have Registered Physiotherapists fully certified in treating with manual lymphatic drainage techniques and management.
We are certified Combined Decongestive Therapists and
registered with the Assistive Devices Program program for compressive garment prescription through the Ministry of Health and Long term care.
How does Lymphatic Massage therapy work?
This massage technique is a very light skin stretch stroke technique based on the anatomy of the lymphatic system of flow. A different type of stroke is used depending on the area of the body, and direction of flow the therapist wants to attain. Mechanical force through the manual drainage technique can help guide the lymphatic fluid. This is somewhat similar to a hand pushing water. In the case where there is a barrier to the flow of the lymphatic system. Combined Decongestive therapy is used. A Physiotherapist trained in manual lymphatic drainage and certified as a combined decongestive therapist can route the fluid around the blockage again based on the flow patterns of the lymphatic system.
What is Combined Decongestive Therapy?
- Manual Lymphatic Drainage
- Compression Therapy – to maximize the drainage benefit and prevent refill
We are certified through the assistive devices program to authorize compression garments. - Individualized custom Exercise program and self adjunct lymph drainage training
- Skin care education
What is the Lymphatic System and function?
The Lymphatic system helps maintain homeostasis in the body by:
- maintaining fluid volume balance between incoming water, nutrients, fat, waste particles, large proteins, and information transmission through out the circulatory system.
- moving fluid from the tissue and cell spaces to the venous system. This is then returned to the heart then the lungs and excess fluid is moved out through the kidneys and bladder and then peed out.
- it plays an integral role in tissue repair, regeneration and the immune response mechanism in the body.
- The lymphatic system consists of: initial lymph vessels, precollector pathways that lead into collector pathways, there is also the lymph nodes included in this system that collect drainage from the collector pathways.
Please contact us with any questions you may have about this therapy choice.
This system is magnificently similar to tributaries, streams, and the water pathways on our great Earth. The pictures of water tributaries in the land are very representative of the appearance and flow of the lymphatic system in our own bodies.
Components of the Lymphatic system:
- The lymph vessel system largely runs in parallel with the arterial and venous system. However the lymphatics have very unique characteristics from the arterial and venous systems.
- the lymph vessel system does not have a central pump
- the lymphatic system is not a closed loop it has fingerlets that start right at the skins surface and are extremely fine pathways.
- The lymphatic node points – lymph nodes
- The lymphatic organ system: thymus, spleen, tonsils.
Primary and Secondary Lymphedema
Lymphedema will most commonly present itself in a limb (an arm or a leg), it is often assymetrical (not same on the other side) and painless.
What does it feel like?
There may be a sensation of heaviness or tightness. You may notice increase tightness or swelling with warm weather or extra exertion.
The lymphatic system can be hampered or blocked in some way.
Some individuals may be born with a lymphatic anomaly and others may acquire lymphedema from the removal of lymph nodes during a surgery, radiation,or other traumatic injury,
Other causes include:
- Filariasis,
- chronic varicose veins,
- venous stasis ulcers.
Primary Lymphedema:
In Primary Lymphedema an individual is born with a abnormality to the lymphatic pathway(s). This is sometimes apparent right at birth and sometimes this surfaces at older than 35.
Congenital = lymphedema presents itself at <1 year old
Praecox = lymphedema presents itself between 1 year and 35 years old.
Tarda = lymphedema presents itself >35 years of age.
Primary lymphedema tends to progress from the foot up.
Secondary Lymphedema:
Secondary Lymphedema is a barrier or block to the lymphatic system which occurs through surgery, post mastectomy, removal of lymph nodes, traumatic laceration, or other injury or systemic event such as chronic varicose veins. These causes contribute to blocking the lymphatic flow and thus tightness, heaviness and fluid build up in an area of the body. Lymphedema is a chronic progressive condition, but can be well treated with appropriate lymph drainage techniques combined with compression, exercise and education. The affected area can be the trunk/core of the body, the arms, legs, or face.
Assistive devices program (ADP)
We are ADP authorizers for pressure modification devices. And as ADP authorizers, we are trained to assess and prescribe the level and coverage for a compressive device should one be require this help to treat Lymphedema. The Ontario ADP program administered by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care allows extensive financial coverage for much-needed compression therapy.
For a more comprehensive description of the Newmarket Lymphatic Centre, please click here.
Please contact us with any questions. We are here to help.
